Many thanks to our friends at Brevard Business News for sharing more about 8-koi’s leadership and successes over the past 15 years! Contact us to schedule a meeting.
BBN Feature | September 2023
8-koi Celebrates 15 Years!
Fifteen years ago, University of Florida accounting graduate and show dog mom Inga Young founded 8-koi on August 8th in her hometown of Melbourne, Florida. Since then, the woman-owned small business has grown to support millions of dollars in government contracts and hired hundreds of employees around the US. As a first generation American, Inga credits her success to her parents, and practices everyday gratitude for the opportunity to learn from her coworkers and peers in the industry. Design, build, staff, and supply… 8-koi offers full-spectrum contracting solutions with a human touch. See more about the EDWOSB’s capabilities in design engineering, construction, technical, and healthcare-related services.
8-koi Secures New Vendor Agreements for Medical Supplies
After starting with 8-koi in May, Healthcare Program Manager Krista Dupell has since successfully secured two new prime vendor relationships with InSource and AndaMEDS. With access to dedicated account representatives and nearby distribution centers in Jacksonville and South Florida, 8-koi anticipates greater efficiency and cost-savings when provisioning supplies for their Healthcare Division customers.
“In order to follow through on 8-koi’s promise to do business with a ‘human touch,’ I pursued a relationship with these companies for medical supplies and some medications because they operate with the same values,” said Krista. “These agreements greatly enhance our customer service when working with government and institutional health care clinics and providers so we can offer a larger catalog and deliver with a faster response.”
During the COVID-19 public health crisis in 2020, 8-koi expanded its Healthcare Division to fill purchase orders for scarce and critical medical supplies to organizations in need during the pandemic. The woman-owned small business based in Melbourne provided medical supplies, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and pharmaceuticals to include N95/KN95/3-ply/custom masks, Tyvex Suits, Nitrile gloves, shoe covers, and surface disinfectants to support client COVID-19 Alternative Care Sites across the US.
8-koi’s rapid response to RFQs and awarded government contracts has helped to secure its position as the primary supplier on multiple efforts. As a subsidiary of Henry Schein, world-leader in medical business, clinical, technology, and supply chain solutions, InSource offers more than 300,000 products. AndaMEDS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TEVA Pharmaceuticals, the global leader in generic medicine, and provides niche distribution service with next-day delivery on medical supplies and generic pharmaceuticals. 8-koi is also a licensed McKesson reseller and can provide products for sterile environments and cleanroom facilities.
“The evolution of our Healthcare Division has been on a fast track since the pandemic,” says 8-koi Founder and President Inga Young. “Now, with Krista’s initiative to secure priority vendor agreements like these with InSource and AndaMEDS, we can more firmly establish ourselves in the marketplace and continue to develop our capabilities for both new and existing customers.”
In addition to supplying Federal Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs), state and local governments, Indian Health Services, and schools, 8-koi has been working to generate new business with other commercial supply houses, concierge healthcare providers and local medical facilities. Organizations interested in ordering medical supplies from 8-koi can contact Krista Dupell at 321.802.6768 or healthcare@8-koi.com.
8-koi Earns ISO 9001 Certification for Medical Management Services
On July 4th, 8-koi received ISO 9001:2015 Certification for its Healthcare Division. The scope for the Quality Management System (QMS) encompasses the “provision of medical management services by 8-koi at the Melbourne, Florida location” to include processes for Human Resource and Personnel Credentialing. 8-koi began preparations to certify in the fall of 2022. The initial certificate is valid for a period of three years until July 3, 2026.
“Our Healthcare Division has been steadily growing to serve our federal customers over the years and this was the logical next step to ensure that our operations were consistent and competitive for our next stage of growth,” said 8-koi COO Dean Rosenquist. “The investment in ISO for a small business is significant, and we anticipate seeing returns in the way of more satisfied customers, management, and employees which results in greater cost-savings, overall.”
The woman-owned small business currently supports healthcare-related programs at Patrick Space Force Base, Fort Detrick, and Walter Reed National Medical Center among others. Twenty employees are currently working within the division across the United States. 8-koi capabilities and technical support includes medical simulation and training, medical administration, professional and ancillary medical staffing, and medical records, coding, and credentialing support.
“Our people are the key to our success on these contracts with our government customers,” says 8-koi Founder and President Inga Young. “With a predictable and tested workflow at Headquarters to make hiring and credentialing more streamlined and efficient, we can scale recruiting and onboarding to meet surge demands when we win larger and more complex contracts.”
By following the ISO 9001 Standard, businesses of all sizes can formalize key processes and develop a Quality Manual that outlines procedures to continually improve their processes within the QMS. According to ASQ.org, “ISO 9001 is based on the plan-do-check-act methodology and provides a process-oriented approach to documenting and reviewing the structure, responsibilities, and procedures required to achieve effective quality management in an organization.”
Last summer, 8-koi’s Healthcare Division expanded their presence with eight new employees at Walter Reed with a competitively bid and won Defense Health Agency (DHA) Emergency Dispatch Services contract. Since winning a contract with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to provide counseling and case management support to refugees in 2020, 8-koi has onboarded and managed hundreds of direct care personnel. Under contract with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) since 2018, 8-koi’s Quality Assurance Specialist has supported over 400 clinics across the US and overseas to train and retrain clinic staff in proper procedure of Fitness Test administration.
In addition to provisioning services for administrative, training, and direct care activities at Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs), the 8-koi Healthcare Division also offers medical supplies like Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and products for sterile environments and cleanroom facilities. The 8-koi Construction Division, along with 8-koi subsidiary Cape Design Engineering, provides MIL-STD services for design-build and renovation of hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and advanced training centers such as Naval Air Station Jacksonville and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System requires both internal and third-party audits to maintain certification. There are over one million companies and organizations in over 170 countries certified to ISO 9001, according to ISO.org.
Contact us to schedule a meeting and learn more about our Healthcare Division.
8-koi Welcomes Krista Dupell, RN, BSN, MBA as Program Manager, Healthcare Division
Krista Dupell is a Registered Nurse with over two decades of experience in direct care and healthcare administration. She joins 8-koi as Healthcare Program Manager to lead the growth of the Healthcare Division.
Prior to joining 8-koi, Krista worked as a nurse directly at the bedside in a variety of specialties before accepting nonclinical roles. In her position as a daytime lead medical review nurse working for an occupational health company, Krista’s department provided medical determinations for contractors deploying overseas to austere environments to over 15 locations in support of Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of State (DoS) contracts. She was later promoted to be the program manager of the department and grew it from four contracts to eleven contracts and expanded lines of business with existing clients. In developing skills and discovering a new interest in the business side of healthcare, Krista was compelled to return to school in pursuit of her MBA in Healthcare Management at Saint Leo University.
“She’s a rare find with a unique education,” says COO Dean Rosenquist. “We’re confident in Krista’s industry expertise and initiative to help take our healthcare division to the next level.”
Krista’s personal life closely aligns with her profession as she is married to an Orlando-based first responder and two of her four children are pursuing active-duty military careers.
“Not only do I love the business side of healthcare,” said Krista, “but I love the opportunity to work here because of the amazing culture. Every employee has a voice and is empowered to be involved in company growth.”
Please help us welcome Krista to the Team and be sure to connect with her on LinkedIn to learn more about her work.
8-koi Exhibits at Navy Contracting Summit June 24-25
8-koi is a virtual exhibitor at the Southwest Defense Contracting Summit June 24-25, 2021. We are joining hundreds of prime contractors, subcontractors, military officials, contracting officials, financing experts, and defense agencies from throughout the country at this year’s Navy Contracting Summit with Defense Leadership Forums.
We stand ready to partner in capturing a portion of the new Pentagon and Navy contracts resulting from the $740 Billion 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Our design engineering and construction capabilities include post-catastrophe response, BIM modeling, energy simulations, underground, infrastructure, safety planning, communications, and logistics.
Not limited to buildings and infrastructure, 8-koi contributes to developing public health resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic with healthcare-related capabilities to include direct care, medical supplies (PPE), logistics, training, administration, and contract support services.
Be sure to visit our virtual booth at the Summit and we look forward to connecting with you on LinkedIn!
8-koi Exhibits at Southwest Defense Contracting Summit April 6-7
8-koi is a virtual exhibitor at the Southwest Defense Contracting Summit April 6-7, 2021. We are joining hundreds of prime contractors, subcontractors, military officials, contracting officials, financing experts, and defense agencies from throughout the country at this year’s Southwest Defense Contracting Summit with Defense Leadership Forums.
Because so many installations were affected by extreme weather events earlier this year, a major general session on energy resiliency will be included in this year’s summit program. Our design engineering and construction capabilities include post-catastrophe response, BIM modeling, energy simulations, underground, infrastructure, safety planning, communications, and logistics.
Not limited to buildings and infrastructure, 8-koi contributes to developing public health resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic with healthcare-related capabilities to include direct care, medical supplies (PPE), logistics, training, administration, and contract support services.
Be sure to visit our virtual booth at the Summit and we look forward to connecting with you on LinkedIn!
8-koi Helps to Close Pandemic Supply Gaps with PPE Donations Across US
With supply shortages affecting organizations of all sizes during the global coronavirus pandemic, 8-koi is working to protect critical community operations with KN-95 mask donations to fire departments, schools, and non-profit organizations serving the most at-risk.
Over the past six months, 8-koi has delivered thousands of masks to students, teachers, first responders, and community servants in several communities around the company’s home state and in rural New Mexico.
Last summer, when COVID-19 cases were inundating the Navajo Nation, our company sent a supply of masks to Cuba Fire Rescue to help protect the handful of dedicated volunteers answering emergency calls in several remote tribal communities on the borders of New Mexico’s designated tribal lands.
More masks were sent in January to the Sandoval County Senior Center in Cuba, NM, and to the Jemez Mountain Public Schools in Gallina, NM, where front line staff remained committed to supporting members of the indigenous population by delivering food and necessities to homebound elders and instructional materials and basic routine healthcare to isolated students in rural areas.
Closer to home and most recently in Florida, 8-koi’s Vice President of Design Engineering, Victor Diaz, personally delivered KN-95 masks in February to the Dean of Academic Affairs and Health Science’s Edward Willey at Palm Beach State College to ensure practical training could continue safely for the faculty and students of the school’s acclaimed nursing program.
Also in February, 8-koi President, Inga Young, and Chief Operating Officer, Dean Rosenquist (USAF ret.), hand-delivered masks to JROTC and Athletics students at Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School, and to the Volunteers of America and Down the Road Thrift non-profit organizations in Cocoa that both provide veterans outreach services to include housing, employment, and basic needs.
John Welch, Property Manager at Veterans of America and US Air Force retiree, said the KN-95 masks “protect much better than anything else and would allow staff and veterans to get tasks done safely.”
“It is really important to me that our company give back in a meaningful way with tangible outcomes,” said Young. “We have been providing healthcare support services to our government clients on contract for a number of years and I believe that experience prepared us for this kind of critical response where it matters most.”
8-koi’s personnel have conducted advanced emergency medical training at Fort Detrick, MD, on contract since 2014 and were activated in 2020 to take temperatures for patients at overcrowded healthcare facilities in New York City. 8-koi’s contracted staff typically working directly with military and civilian patients at the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio, TX, were temporarily transitioned to assist Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) with notifying patients of their negative COVID-19 test results during the peak of the pandemic.
The small company with just under 50 employees diversified into medical supplies and Personal Protective Equipment early in 2020 for their existing customers with no expectations for the skyrocketing demand realized from new customers reeling from the public health crisis. 8-koi’s well-established Healthcare Division, previously focused on staffing and construction services at federal medical treatment facilities like clinics at Patrick Space Force Base and Naval Air Station Jacksonville, now supplies the Indian Health Service within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services responsible for provisioning comprehensive health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives in Hawaii and Oklahoma.
“We had to learn a lot in the beginning, but we are so fortunate to have these supplies on hand and fill a need when so many lives are at stake. These donations exemplify our company’s core values of being thoughtful and dependable and represent the ‘human touch’ our team strives to deliver in service excellence every day – even at a safe distance.” says Young.
8-koi’s CDE Donates PPE to Palm Beach State College Nursing Program
Over 1,000 KN95 masks were donated to nursing students at Palm Beach State College (PBSC) as part of the long-standing commitment CDE and 8-koi have to supporting higher education across Florida.
Victor Diaz, CDE’s Engineering Manager and Vice President of 8-koi’s Design Engineering Division, delivered the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Dean of Academic Affairs and Health Sciences Edward Willey in January to help keep students safe while learning practical skills during the COVID-19 public health crisis.
“It’s really important for us to continue to nurture this well-established relationship with our academic partners in the communities where we work,” said 8-koi President Inga Young. “Not only can we assist in helping colleges grow through improvements to their physical plants, but we aim to support the students pursuing careers in critical industries like nursing and the skilled construction trades that we all depend on.”
CDE is an engineering services provider-of-choice for PBSC and has designed, constructed, and maintained facilities on several campuses over the past twenty years. The KN95 masks are one of many available items in the medical supply inventory offered by 8-koi’s Healthcare Division.
CDE and 8-koi are proud corporate partners of the Palm Beach State College Foundation and supports their vision for “a better, healthier future through equitable education.”
8-koi Medical Supplies
8-koi Medical Supplies is proud to share that we made our first sale of KN95 masks in support our local healthcare providers and the COVID-19 Response. Our team delivered with gloved hands 500 individually-wrapped masks in these custom tote bags to a local Space Coast dentist. We are standing by in our own masks to put a personal touch on future orders for PPE and hygienic supplies.